Such is the consistency by which performance on measures of short-term memory (STM) increase with age that developmental increases in STM capacity are largely accepted as fact. However, our analysis of a robust but almost ignored finding - that span for digit sequences (the traditional measure of STM) increases at a far greater rate than span for other verbal material - fundamentally undermines the assumption that increased performance in STM tasks is underpinned by developmental increases in capacity. We show that this digit superiority with age effect is explained by the relatively greater linguistic exposure to random sequences of digits versus other stimuli such as words. A simple associative learning process that learns incrementally from exposure to language accounts for the effect, without any need to invoke an STM mechanism, much less one that increases in capacity with age. By extension, using corpus data directed at 2-3 year old children, 4-6 year old children, and adults, we show that age-related performance increases with other types of verbal material are equally driven by the same basic associative learning process operating on the expanding exposure to language experienced by the child. Our results question the idea that tests such as digit span are measuring a dedicated system for the temporary maintenance and manipulation of verbal material, and as such have implications for our understanding of those aspects of typical and atypical development that are usually accounted for with respect to the operation of such a system.

中文翻译：

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会产生短期记忆吗？

事实证明，这样的一致性使得短期记忆（STM）的性能随着年龄的增长而增加，而STM容量的发展增长已被广泛接受。但是，我们对一个健壮但几乎被忽略的发现的分析-数字序列的跨度（传统的STM测量）以比其他语言材料的跨度大得多的速率增长-从根本上破坏了以下假设，即STM任务的性能提高受到以下因素的支持：发展能力的提高。我们表明，这种具有年龄效应的数字优势是由于相对于其他刺激（例如单词）相对于数字随机序列而言，相对更大的语言暴露所致。一个简单的联想学习过程，可以从接触语言的过程中逐步学习，从而解决了这种影响，而无需调用STM机制，容量随着年龄增长而增加的数量少得多。通过扩展，使用针对2-3岁儿童，4-6岁儿童和成人的语料库数据，我们表明，与其他类型的言语材料相比，与年龄相关的性能提升同样受相同的基本联想学习过程的驱动不断增加的儿童语言体验。我们的结果对以下观点提出了质疑，即像数字跨度之类的测试正在测量用于语言材料的临时维护和操纵的专用系统，因此，这对我们对通常涉及到的典型和非典型发展方面的理解产生了影响。这种系统的运作。我们证明，与其他类型的言语材料相关的与年龄相关的表现提高，是由相同的基本联想学习过程所驱动的，而这种学习过程是随着孩子所经历的语言接触的增加而进行的。我们的结果对以下观点提出了质疑，即像数字跨度之类的测试正在测量用于语言材料的临时维护和操纵的专用系统，因此，这对我们对通常涉及到的典型和非典型发展方面的理解产生了影响。这种系统的运作。我们证明，与其他类型的言语材料相关的与年龄相关的表现提高，是由相同的基本联想学习过程所驱动的，而这种学习过程是随着孩子所经历的语言接触的增加而进行的。我们的结果对以下观点提出了质疑，即像数字跨度之类的测试正在测量用于语言材料的临时维护和操纵的专用系统，因此，这对我们对通常涉及到的典型和非典型发展方面的理解产生了影响。这种系统的运作。